Royals Send Cone To Jays For Trio Of Minor-leaguers

HAINES CITY — Pitcher David Cone sat at his locker in Kansas City's spring-training clubhouse Thursday enthused that the striking players are back and talked of the Royals' past and present players.

Hours later, however, Cone became one of those cherished memories in the franchise's history.

Cone, the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner, was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays for the minor-league trio of second baseman Chris Stynes, relief pitcher David Sinnes and shortstop Tony Medrano.

It will be the second stint in Toronto for Cone, who was traded from the New York Mets to the Blue Jays in 1992 for Jeff Kent and Ryan Thompson. It also was the second time Cone, a Kansas City native, was traded by the Royals. The initial one came in 1987, when he was shipped to the Mets in a five-player trade.

''I have a tendency of wearing out my welcome. I was shocked the first time (being traded by the Royals) but this time I was was preparing myself well,'' said Cone, 32, who is entering his ninth season. ''It (Toronto) is a good situation to be in if I can't be in my hometown.''

Toronto was pleased at the return of Cone, who helped the Blue Jays win the 1992 World Series.

''David's our No. 1 starter now,'' Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston said. ''We'll try to start the season with him. David is one of the premier pitchers in all of baseball.''

Cone, who joins Juan Guzman and Pat Hentgen in the rotation, was 16-5 with a 2.94 earned-run average last season. He has won 14 or more games and had an ERA of 3.33 or better in six of the past seven years.

Cone was born and raised in Kansas City and was the Royals' third-round draft choice in 1981. He played briefly with the Royals in 1986 before being sent to the Mets.

''It would make it more difficult (to leave), but it was a little tougher than I thought to play at home,'' he said. ''You're playing in front of family and friends, getting asked for more tickets and lots of people are just coming up to your house and knocking at your door.''

The transaction was the Royals' second in two days - starting center fielder Brian McRae was traded Wednesday to the Chicago Cubs for two minor-leaguers - as the club continued to trim a payroll that ranked seventh in the majors at $48.7 million last season. Cone owned the team's highest salary at $5 million and was in the final year of a 3-year, $18 million contract.

''I've been dealt before, so you have to deal with it like a professional and realize the Royals are just doing what is best for the team,'' said Cone, who was the AL player representative during the labor talks.

The Royals, who were contenders last season, have taken another step toward mortgaging the present for the future. Only Stynes, who batted .318 at Class AA Knoxville, Tenn., in 1994, will be added to the team's 40-player roster. Kansas City General Manager Herk Robinson said the team was unsure it could re-sign Cone and that the move gave it a substantial reduction in payroll.

''Frankly, David is a player who had value in a trade,'' Robinson said. ''He was in the last year of his contract and we were able to obtain three outstanding players who will contribute greatly to our organization in the future.''